Making a Decision
by chocolatepen
Summary: Zutara "Decisions are far reaching and difficult. But you never lack courage in the past. Your courage is needed for the future." --Gerry Adams This is strictly Zutara people and has no relation to my other stories.


"**Making a Decision****"**

"_Decisions [are far reaching and difficult. But you never lack courage in the past. Your courage is needed for the future."__  
__Gerry Adams_

Katara stood by the river watching as the full moon reflected off its glass surface. She felt claustrophobic sitting with the group around the camp fire. Though she had never felt that way before, something had changed. Silently she turned around, debating whether to return or continue her lonely vigil. The mood surrounding her was confusing and hollow. She felt indecisive; her heart was torn in a blank and empty world.

Looking up, she startled at finding a familiar face with a haunting past before her.

"Zuko…" she heard her breath say as it passed through her lips.

His hard eyes softened in response, but he did not speak. A moment passed between them before he said, "Katara, we need to talk."

He took a step towards her. "I have a problem; well, actually it not a problem since it's an addiction that I love. I love you Katara. I have since I first tied to you to that stupid tree."

He paused waiting for to reply.

"Say something," he pleaded, taking another step forward, "please, Katara."

Katara's tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth, making it impossible to speak. But it didn't matter because she didn't know what to say. She was conflicted with ambivalent feelings. On one side she felt as if her dreams were coming true, and she knew Zuko was the one. The other hand, reminded her of her past, however, and held her back from stepping into the future.

Slowly her muscles responded to her heart, and gradually a smile crept over her face, touching her eyes and alien tears. Zuko became her mirror and ever so slowly he took the last step towards her, placing his hands on her arms. Then he started leaning forward, eyelids drooping down as he closed the space between them.

Katara could feel the heat coming off the fire bender, charging her heartbeat to go faster. Suddenly she felt nervous, never having these feelings so heavily before, as they were now. Fear took control, and it guided her to the full moon above her; the power of its beams radiating power into her, and tripling the strength of her bending. Just as Zuko was a breadth away, Katara felt the fear completely overwhelm her, and her nearly forgotten secret unfolded itself.

"NO!!!" she screamed. Thrusting her arms forward, the built up strength from not bending pushed out into Zuko, sending him soaring back into the nearest blockade.

Not a heartbeat passed before Katara realized what she had done. Hurriedly she swung her arms around her, gathering as much water out of the river as she could; and then dashed over to the fallen Zuko before his head had even the chance to rest onto his chest. In a blur of river water and tears, Katara felt the less hidden side of her element emerge, and immediately the water began to glow as the healing process commenced. Knowledge of the human body and the touch of her bending, told Katara of broken bones and internal bleeding from the force of her repulsed bending upon the man who had just admitted his feelings to her.

Suddenly, her fear changed. There was no longer the question whether she had forgiven Zuko or even loved him. The answer was that she long ago had forgiven him, and had loved him ever since. Never had she thought about it before but in that instant she realized that she and Zuko were like yin and yang—two parts of one whole. She remembered the Siege on the North, how one of the yin-yang fish was murdered and Princess Yue took its place to keep the balance. There was no replacement now, however. Katara knew that if she lost Zuko now, there would be no other person who could take his place in her heart. Others could try, but no one could ever be Zuko.

Finally the healing was done and the glow of Katara's magic slowly began to fade, replace by the light of the moon. Quietly tears continued to fall down her face as she waited for Zuko to wake up, for his eyes to flicker open and again gaze at her with golden orbs that were so much like the sun. A few minutes passed, and then a few more. With each passing minute, Katara could feel the adrenaline slipping away and the fear returning just as strongly as before.

"No," she whispered, her tears growing thicker as she tried to choke them back. "No, Zuko, you can't die. I love you Zuko. Did you hear me? I love you. I don't care what you _did_. I want to know what you're going to _do_. Wake up Zuko, I want you to hold. Please, kiss me…"

She had finally made her decision; and he wasn't even conscious to hear it—if he ever woke up to hear it.

No, she couldn't let herself think like that. Not here, not now. Zuko was stronger than that. He was a fire bending master. He had trained the avatar. He could deflect lightning. He had fought in an Agni Kai with the Fire Lord and lived to tell about it.

Katara couldn't see anymore, her tears burying her in a water world where night and day were one. Soszin's Comet could have come and gone and she would never know because she would still be right where she was by Zuko's side.

"Please Zuko…" she mumbled into his shirt as she rested her aching head on his chest, because so much crying had given her a headache.

"Please Zuko, I love you…"

"I love you too."

Katara jumped and spun her head around to face his patient. His eyes were open and his mouth was curved up in his confident smirk like he knew he had just won.

"Zuko…" Katara whispered. The joy and happiness could easily be heard in her voice making it crack in her weakened state.

Suddenly Zuko's smile faded from his lips and he began sitting up from his slouched position against the tree. This worried Katara, thinking her patient was still feeling immense pain somewhere, and a frown creased her forehead with confusion. Then Zuko's hand was on her waist, pulling her down onto him, bringing their lips together at last.

At first Katara was shocked. Her first kiss. Unexpectedly, she felt herself filled with a million emotions at once. And this time she let herself drown in them.

When Zuko finally drew back for air, he slouched against back onto the tree and waited for Katara to open her eyes. He had kissed girls before but never like this. Katara was something different, and he never wanted to let her go.

Even after Zuko had let her go, Katara kept her eyes shut; relishing in the feeling of his lips on hers just a moment longer. Biting her lip in the indecision that she was still dreaming; and she lifted her lids to see her prince shaking in silent laughter.

"What's so funny?" she questioned, thinking he was laughing at her.

"You're so beautiful," he answered. "Did I grant your wish?"

For a second, Katara was confused as to what he meant, and then she recalled what she had said in those moments she thought she had lost him. Now her joy mixed with anger at being tricked.

"You mean you were awake all that time?!"

"No," Zuko smiled calmly. "Only from when you said you loved me."

"Oh," Katara muttered, looking shamefully at the ground as her cheeks began to flush.

"I mean it, Katara," Zuko whispered. "All three words."

Katara looked at him. "Really?"

"Really."

All the energy and excitement that had been gathering within Katara of that night, burst out then—though, this time without her bending. She jumped onto Zuko's chest, flinging her arms around his middle, and hugging tightly.

"Okay, okay," Zuko chuckled, wincing slightly, "I'm still healing here."

Katara loosened her grip but didn't let go as she cradled her head in his chest. Smiling, Zuko brought his arms around her as they nestled together against their tree. It was time for some sleep after such a big night of decision making.

The End

**Boy, compared to my other fictions, this took like no time to write: the first night I mentally wrote the story, the next night I physically wrote the story, the next day I edited at school, followed by typing and summiting in one afternoon. In all, a grand total of 3 days to write. Not bad, not bad at all.**

**So this is pretty much complete nonsense that I came up with because: a) I'm a Zutaraian, b) I'm a romantic fanatic (probably because I've never been in love myself), and c) this is my bed-time story telling!**

**Just a note, this characters do not belong to me! TT**


End file.
